Your Diet Matters! 6 Foods To Avoid For Kidney Stones

• 6 Foods To Avoid For Kidney Stones
• 1. Potatoes
• 2. Nuts And Seeds
• 3. Purine Rich Foods
• 4. Alcoholic, Carbonated, And Energy Drinks
• 5. Salt 
• 6. Sugar

Kidney stones are becoming increasingly common. Hard mineral deposits in the urinary tract create these ‘stones’ and can cause excruciating pain. One of the most important things to do, as someone prone to kidney stones, is to make sure that you eat a diet that promotes healing and prevents aggravation. So here are 6 foods to avoid for kidney stones.

6 Foods To Avoid For Kidney Stones

1. Potatoes

First on the list of foods to avoid for kidney stones of the calcium oxalate kind is potatoes. This vegetable contains extremely high amounts of oxalates, which aggravates the condition. Baked and fried potatoes are indeed some of the worst things to eat for someone with this condition. So steer clear of them completely. Other high oxalate veggies are spinach, chard, watercress, leeks, okra, purslane, parsley, and beets.

2. Nuts And Seeds

Nuts are another food to avoid in kidney stone management diets. One reason is that most nuts also have loads of oxalate, leading to calcium oxalate stones. And they are often flavoured with salt – another thing you should limit. Almonds, cashew, pecans, and walnuts contain very high amounts. Seeds like sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds are also best avoided.

3. Purine Rich Foods

Next on the list of foods to avoid with kidney stones includes purine rich foods. Purine rich foods can cause uric acid kidney stones, since they boost the levels of uric acid in the body. Some purine rich foods are red meat, shellfish, organ meat, alcohol, asparagus, spinach, and high fat dairy. These foods are also bad for those with gout.

4. Alcoholic, Carbonated, And Energy Drinks

Stay away from alcohol, carbonated, and energy drinks to avoid kidney stones. They cause spikes in blood glucose as well as uric acid levels. They also lead to dehydration, which is very harmful for those with kidney stones. The caffeine in energy drinks increases calcium content.

5. Salt 

It’s not news that foods with excess salt do only harm for those prone to developing kidney stones. That’s because sodium leads to the build up of calcium in the urine and then very easily causes kidney stones to form. Packaged and processed foods tend to have high amounts of sodium. So either avoid them, or read the labels carefully to make sure that you take in as little sodium as possible.

6. Sugar

Sugar is another no-no. Excess sugar in your diet boosts the levels of urinary calcium. What’s more, it also reduces the volume of urine. Both of these effects make sugar in excess amounts dangerous for those with kidney stones. So, limit your sugar intake. If something contains high fructose corn syrup, say no to it.

In Closing…

Don’t worry, there are still many foods you can eat. Lemon juice, kale, cheese, buttermilk, avocados, bananas, grapes, grapefruit, cabbage, cucumber, mushrooms and peas are generally considered safe. But consult your doctor about which of these are fine for you.

Note: This article is solely for the purpose of sharing information. Please do not substitute it for professional medical advice. Before using anything as a medicine, always speak to your doctor.